BFTG - Norwich home

[Silver Fox]

Newcastle have lost the same number of games as us, I can only assume their position is also false

[Vicky Pollard]

It's absolutely amazing we have just beaten Norwich 3 1 if anyone can upon this site and didn't know the score and just sat down to read the posts they would be convinced that we had just lost. It's a fact if you want to feel pissed off after a good result just log onto here guaranteed to bring you down. Never again for me anyway!

I don't think you've read any posts actually.

Almost everyone has concurred that it's a great result, in a match that could have gone either way at 1-1. We weren't at our best, survived some difficult moments but battled to another great result. Cautious optimism at the moment.

[St. Brynjar]

First game in a long time, good to be back. 1st half was pretty poor, Norwich pressed very well and countered our style of play very effectively. We were lucky to be ahead at the break.

Second half was weird - there were 10 minutes of utter madness where no one could seem to string a pass together or clear a football. Very lucky to come away from the 65th minute level. Luckily Alex Neil took off their MOTM Nelson Olivera and they didn't seem threatening afterwards.

Penalty seems very clear cut, great reactions by McCleary to tuck away the rebound. Harriott's goal a sublime ending.

AAH - 5 - Pretty poor kicking, nearly spilled quite a few shots
Gunter - 6 - Offered impetus going forward, a little suspect in defence
McShane - 6 - Decent if a little shaky during our horror spell
Moore - 7 - Big fan of this guy
Blackett - 7 - Great composure, looks promising
VDB - 4 - Seemed a liability, gave it away regularly, should have been sent off
Kelly - 6 - Like the look of him - great technical player. Positioning was a little odd, going very wide at every opportunity
Williams - 7 Decent game, offered some leadership when we were struggling
McCleary - 8 - SIGN HIM UP
Beerens - 6 - Decent enough showing
Kermorgant - 8 - MOTM despite penalty oxf*rd up

Evans - 7 - Needs to start
Harriott - 7 - well taken goal when pressure was off
Swift - 6 - Looked decent

Ref - 9 - excellent throughout.

Norwich have all the components to dominate this division. Just seems to be one of those runs where confidence is low. I like Alex Neil and any Championship club would do well to snap him up when Norwich inevitably get rid.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Cautious, very cautious
But N'cassel are just an assailable six points ahead, after todays results

[Ascotexgunner]

There is no question Stam has instilled a team spirit that is driving us forward and has been missing since BMs championship winning side. I cant help feeling though that we are in 3rd gear still and its the spirit that's carrying us. If we can just find a striker/holding front player I can't help but feel the rest of the gears will come easily and start looking more comfortable. Stam has done an amazing job with this squad.

[Silver Fox]

If we're in third gear now that means we've got more in our locker, gearwise, so I'm looking forward to the second half of the season

[Huckleberry Hound]

While the offsides looked bizarre, they were in fact correct under the revised law.
Blame FIFA, the FA, the Football League or the club for not communicating but you CAN now be offside in your own half.
I think it is another daft change, but there it is. i've now seen 3 different refs do this so it wasn't just one official having a nightmare.

I though it was widely publicised at the start of the season. Embarrassing/amusing in equal measure how many of our fans had no idea.

If it was widely publicised then people would have known about it !
No one sat near me knew, and most are pretty knowledgeable football people. Most were aware of some of the other changes (pass back from kick off, players leaving the field after injury) but this one got everyone stumped.
By definition if people didn't know about it it was not properly publicised.
Maybe club's could use their big screens for something useful at the start of the season and show a video explaining any law changes.....

TBF the only people who need to know are the players & officials. Judging from Yann's reaction to the second decision, it didn't look like he knew.

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

Enjoying this false position.

Weren't at our best today against a side that worked us out tactically 1st half. But once again we grinded out another win and a team that can do that when not playing at their best is huge.

Liam Moore is a class above 99% of other championship centre backs I've seen this season. Just oozes pure class.

Great to have Swift & Williams back, but Liam Kelly I thought had another good game today, hopefully this is his year he cements his place in the squad.

False position?? 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, none for a loss. We've won more games, we've got more points than 21 teams below us. Not false - we are just winning games.

[George_]

Enjoying this false position.

Weren't at our best today against a side that worked us out tactically 1st half. But once again we grinded out another win and a team that can do that when not playing at their best is huge.

Liam Moore is a class above 99% of other championship centre backs I've seen this season. Just oozes pure class.

Great to have Swift & Williams back, but Liam Kelly I thought had another good game today, hopefully this is his year he cements his place in the squad.

False position?? 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, none for a loss. We've won more games, we've got more points than 21 teams below us. Not false - we are just winning games.

I know. Was a dig at people saying we don't deserve to be in 3rd.

[West Stand Man]

I was in Y19

West Stand Man

You're a phoney! A big fat phoney!

Yup! Moved from the upper west to the east about 5 years ago. I confess to retaining the pen name with a degree of fraudulent behaviour.

[leon]

It's absolutely amazing we have just beaten Norwich 3 1 if anyone can upon this site and didn't know the score and just sat down to read the posts they would be convinced that we had just lost. It's a fact if you want to feel pissed off after a good result just log onto here guaranteed to bring you down. Never again for me anyway!

Fcuk off then.

[elrey]

Ironically in the last 10 games, whenever we win, Norwich lose, whenever we lose, they win.

[marlowuk]

Well that was an 'interesting' game. It was the first home game (and first game this season apart from at Fulham) where the opposition had more possession than us. Norwich had done their homework on us and pressed us and marked us high up the pitch. As a result AAH often had no options but to kick the ball long and, more often than not, it gave possession to Norwich. We also looked poor in the first half with simple passes going astray and niggling, unnecessary free kicks being given away.

Having said that we always looked dangerous when we attacked with pace and were grateful and relieved to go in at HT one goal up through MOTM Kermorgant from a good free kick from Kelly. Norwich pressed in the second half and it was no surprise when they equalised and, at that point, I felt there was only going to be one winner and that wasn't us. Thankfully the crazy penalty and sending off (and the substitution of Oliveira by Alex Neil) handed us the initiative although I was nervously looking at my watch until Harriott put the result beyond doubt with a splendidly taken goal in time added on.

Great to see Swift and Williams back and bringing Evans on for JVDB improved us. Unlike others I thought Blackett was caught out of position too often and beaten for pace too often. I also thought Gunter had a good game and was more positive with his passing. GMac and Moore also played well. So not a great performance but we'll take the three points. I'll be surprised if we get three against a resurgent Fulham next week though! Please prove me wrong!!

[Steve_Upper_West]

How does JVDB get in the side ahead of Evans ?

Accident waiting to happen

[Winston Smith]

If we're in third gear now that means we've got more in our locker

False third gear

[Glory Boy]

May the false be with you !

[Top Flight]

There is no question Stam has instilled a team spirit that is driving us forward and has been missing since BMs championship winning side. I cant help feeling though that we are in 3rd gear still and its the spirit that's carrying us. If we can just find a striker/holding front player I can't help but feel the rest of the gears will come easily and start looking more comfortable. Stam has done an amazing job with this squad.

The way Kermorgant played yesterday a striker is no longer needed. Kermorgant was outstanding.

[Sutekh]

I'm still scratching my head as to why Neil took off Oliviera. He was causing us serious problems.

Apparently Oliviera was (thankfully) removed from play because Norwich were down to 10 men and Alex Neil felt he needed pace to stretch the game.

As we saw though Norwich fans disagreed a little (as did their local media).

[bobby1413]

If we're in third gear now that means we've got more in our locker

False third gear

It also depends on how many gears we have. We may only have three gears. If that's the case we need more gears. At least a fourth gear anyway.

[Nameless]

There is no question Stam has instilled a team spirit that is driving us forward and has been missing since BMs championship winning side. I cant help feeling though that we are in 3rd gear still and its the spirit that's carrying us. If we can just find a striker/holding front player I can't help but feel the rest of the gears will come easily and start looking more comfortable. Stam has done an amazing job with this squad.

The way Kermorgant played yesterday a striker is no longer needed. Kermorgant was outstanding.

Agree that Yann has been an important part of the team. He's an intelligent footballer and we missed him when he was out.
However I think we need another option. Samuel is different, but as yet I'm not convinced he'd carry us through if Yann picked up a long term injury.
It's icing on the cake though, if the takeover happens and we have money then I'd want another forward. If it doesn't happen then that's ok. Especially with Rakells nearly fit again....